The Adventures of Odysseus and The Tales of Troy

Page: 97

But even as he spoke Odysseus, with a terrible cry, loosed an arrow at
him and shot Eurymachus through the breast. He let the sword fall from
his hand, and he too fell dead upon the floor.

One of the band rushed straight at Odysseus with his sword in hand. But
Telemachus was at hand, and he drove his spear through this man's
shoulders. Then Telemachus ran quickly to a chamber where there were
weapons and armour lying. The swineherd and the cattleherd joined him,
and all three put armour upon them. Odysseus, as long as he had arrows
to defend himself, kept shooting at and smiting the wooers. When all the
arrows were gone, he put the helmet on his head and took up the shield
that Telemachus had brought, and the two great spears.

But now Melanthius, the goatherd—he who was the enemy of Odysseus, got
into the chamber where the arms were kept, and brought out spears and
shields and helmets, and gave them to the wooers. Seeing the goatherd go
back for more arms, Telemachus and Eumæus dashed into the chamber, and
caught him and bound him with a rope, and dragged him up near the
roof-

XVI

urycleia, the old nurse, went to the upper chamber
where Penelope lay in her bed. She bent over her and called out, 'Awake,
Penelope, dear child. Come down and see with thine own eyes what hath
happened. The wooers are overthrown. And he whom thou hast ever longed
to see hath come back. Odysseus, thy husband, hath returned. He hath
slain the proud wooers who have troubled thee for so long.'